Sophia Perez

I'm a passionate scholar who wants to continue to grow into an experienced and educated advocate for animals and their conservation.

Conservation-work is all about people. People have to care about animals to feel an obligation to save their cousins in the wild. Zoo's and education centers provide the opportunity for guests to make connections with their animals, from seeing an Andean condor soar above their heads to feeding a binturong. Every memorable experience has the power to change someone's life. This is why I believe creating positive experiences for each and every guest is essential for inspiring new advocates for wildlife, biologists, or animal care specialists.

I also find myself in an industry where the people I work alongside don't usually look like me. There are too few people of color working in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) jobs. One of my career goals is to be in a position where I can inspire young children of all backgrounds to pursue STEM careers themselves!